title: The training needs of general practitioners in the exploration of sexual health matters and providing sexual healthcare to lesbian, gay and bisexual patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  General practitioners (GPs) have been identified as a key resource for people with sexual health concerns. However, research indicates that general practitioners feel unprepared to deal with sexual health, especially with lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify the training needs of general practitioners in the exploration of sexual health matters and providing sexual healthcare to lesbian, gay and bisexual patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative methodology using topic-guided interviews and focus groups with general practitioners and lesbian, gay, bisexual community members in Ireland. In addition, final year medical students at University College Cork completed a mixed-methods survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  General practitioner participants rarely broached sexual health topics, and were unaware of the sexual orientation of their patients or the specific health needs of lesbian, gay and bisexual patients. Participants identified numerous barriers to the discussion of sexual health. To overcome these barriers, respondents recommended better medical training using a variety of methods to increase awareness of sexual and LGB health issues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  General practitioners in Ireland lack awareness of the unique health issues of lesbian, gay and bisexual patients and it is, therefore, essential that medical training programs develop better training curricula in sexual health and LGB health issues.
authors.affiliation: University College Cork, Ireland. dbstott@umn.edu
authors.forename: Don Brandon
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Stott
mesh_terms: D001727:Bisexuality; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000193:education*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D018452:Homosexuality, Female; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D060728:Reproductive Health; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires